No - not the first or second or third time. He spent his early childhood in Sterling Illinois. There is nothing in Texas like Sterling. It is horrible. He went to High School about 25 minutes from my office. I got to see him pitch some in high school. Once he made it into AA and he was a fairly big prospect, I started hearing about how difficult he was to be around and how immature he was. Astros saw it once he was called up and played a big part in why they traded him so quickly. It’s too bad because he had talent and was likable until he wasn’t (like Jekyll and Hyde), according to people in his hometown that know the family. He and his wife are both viewed as toxic from what I have heard. I was excited when he was drafted because he was someone I had gotten to see as a prep. He really should have been a 15 year big league starter that was a #2/3 starter. He had some injuries but mostly it was his personality that held him back. He should at a minimum be pitching in Japan but his personal life is supposed to be pretty bad. It also gives fans some perspective. This guy was the top prep baseball player in the Midwest - in a smallish town. He went late in first round out of HS. He struggled being away from home and in minors for two years and then quickly moved up the Astros system and was a big leaguer at like 21 years old. Made an all star team- made like 15 million in big leagues and lost it all because of maturity and personal problems.
I liked this read, he seems to have it together again: https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/forre...os-opening-day-roster?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage
Not rooting against the guy but he's always struck me as tone deaf and self-centered. He's patting himself on the back for still being with the org after nearly a decade but he was basically the top pitching prospect in baseball at one point and really should have pitched in at least ONE of the Astros 7 straight LCS appearances. He could already have FA by now. Just shut up and pitch dude. (yes i know that makes for a much less interesting spring training human interest piece)
I heard he injured his UCL when he heard about the Yankees reversing their facial hair policy and he fist pumped so hard he broke his elbow. But that goatee is gonna look gooooooood while he's on the IR.
Yeah all these people talking **** about the kid. Just shut up and pitch. I'm sure he's not saying hey Chandler Rome! I've got some things I'd like to discuss. No. Man they are coming up to him. Then if he said no comment I'm sure yall would still find something to complain about. Let's hope he has it together and finally contributes to our team.
We all hope he contributes to the team, that's obvious. I guess it's more a criticism of the journalists writing a puff piece about an almost-never was NRI "fighting" for a middle reliever spot. There are few players i've seen with a more skewed puff piece article: performance/production ratio than Forrest Whitley... but as everyone is pointing out that's mostly on the journalists.
Yuli and Maldonado have both made the Padres OD roster, along with Jason Heyward. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...es-opening-day-roster-one-bench-spot-remains/
